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Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a technology that promises fast, secure, point-to-point wireless communications over short distances (approximately 10 metres) for devices as diverse as mobile phones, consumer electronics appliances and desktop computers [2]. It uses spectrum in the unlicensed ISM1 band of 2.4 to 2.48GHz. Besides being a hardware standard, Bluetooth defines a protocol stack that allows for hierarchical ad hoc networking in the form of ``piconets'', in which Bluetooth devices form themselves into point-to-multipoint picocells of seven slaves under the control of one master. Multiple piconets in overlapping coverage areas form ``scatternets''. Although Bluetooth has been standardized for quite some time, Bluetooth devices are still not widely available. The Bluetooth devices which are currently available are only point-to-point or point-to-multipoint devices. True ad hoc multihop Bluetooth devices are still yet to be commercialised.



2001-07-02